


Time to Burn

by Reyire



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Consensual, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-04
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2017-11-23 13:50:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/622868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reyire/pseuds/Reyire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack & Pitch discover how easily things can manage to get .. complicated between them. (Post-movie, follow-up to "Don't Fear The Reaper") Pitch/Jack, Don't like, don't read.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In The Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> For fun, you can look up the lyrics to "Time to Burn" by The Rasmus. And "In the Shadows". (: Fic sort of beta'd by Marie.

Staring down again at his feet, Jack lazily let his finger drift over the glass of the window behind him. He was precariously balanced in a windowsill on the second floor of a house. No one was in the room within. He just wanted somewhere to think. Moving his gaze from his almost snow white toes, he watched the ice form delicate patterns, growing slowly as it covered the pane. So much had happened since that night he'd gone to see Pitch; since he asked the older spirit for something he somehow felt he could ask no one else for. And so much time had passed as well.

It'd almost been a year since he became a Guardian and all that nonsense with Pitch had happened. They hadn't spoken since then, except the few rare times they had run into each other. Pitch had disappeared for a good while before he'd finally been able to return and search again for anyone who still believed in him.

It was sad .. in a way. It wasn't as if Jack didn't know that feeling all too well. But where was there any kind of place for Pitch in the world? All he knew was how to spread fear and Jack wasn't sure how that could ever be helpful.

The window opened inward suddenly, creaking loudly. There seemed to be nothing there but shadows at first but - no, of course it was Pitch again. He looked the boy up and down and leaned against the sill.

"Hm." Pitch seemed unsurprised to see Jack for some reason. "It's getting a tad annoying that I keep ending up near you all the time. You _could_ stop hanging around bedrooms constantly. Not really your area of expertise anyway, is it?"

Unexpectedly, Jack felt a stab of pain at the jab from the older spirit. He ignored it, unconsciously rubbing the front of his hoodie when he spoke. "It's not my problem if you end up following me constantly. You _could_ stop being a stalker."

"I like leaving it up to chance where I end up, it's boring being predictable all the time." he shrugged in reply.

"Sure." Jack huffed in a sarcastic tone, wondering to himself why he hadn't simply left yet. He knew the answer to that easily, though. It wasn't as if he'd ever forgotten about Pitch or what had happened. Nothing had changed there. Thinking about the older spirit too much for too long still swelled an ache inside of him; a need that he had no ability to satisfy. Possibly the thing that scared him that most is he had no real answer to a simple question that arose from this realization. Were his feelings purely physical .. or was there something he didn't want to admit to?

"Daydreaming, Jackie?" Pitch teased, bringing the boy's attention to the present.

Turning to look at the older spirit, whatever remark Jack had on his lips died the second his eyes met Pitch's. There was a short moment of silence until the older spirit's fingers quickly dug into the front of his hoodie, roughly yanking him forward so their lips met. Jack made a muffled noise against Pitch's mouth but there was no resistance from him. The boy clutched the staff that was still in his hand tighter; his other hand he curled into a fist against the window. Pitch's fingers gently touched his neck, in odd contrast to the almost violent kisses he was giving Jack, biting his lip at times even.

They finally broke apart, both trying to breathe. The older spirit took this opportunity to pull Jack into the dark room. The window slammed shut and shadows seemed to envelope both of them. Jack's grip loosened and his staff fell to the floor inside with a loud clatter but neither of them paid attention to it.

Pitch seemed to be everywhere at once. His lips were now on Jack's neck, his hands swiftly sliding over the boy's skin under his hoodie. Jack let out a choked gasp, feeling that slow fire beginning to course through him once again. Darkness was all around him but he did not feel any fear at all. How could he when Pitch's arms held him?

He shivered at that thought. He felt _safe_ with the entity that was destined to spread fear and provoke nightmares. Ever since the beginning, he had disliked any lack of light. But not with Pitch. It felt right with him somehow.

The older spirit pulled Jack's hoodie over his head, dropping it to the floor. This would not be like the previous time, not at all. Pitch could easily see in this darkness and this time he wanted to see every inch of Jack Frost. He pushed the boy gently and Jack fell backwards onto the bed behind him. Pitch pressed the boy's wrists into the cool sheets as he moved onto the bed as well. Jack made small, frustrated sounds as the older spirit began to take his time exploring the boy's chest with his mouth, inching slowly towards the edge of his pants.

"Remember I said, you might not like it so much if you returned, Jack?" Pitch finally murmured before pressing a few more kisses to the boy's stomach.

"Mm," Jack answered with an affirmative noise, though he hadn't quite remembered that part. He had never had a chance to return to Pitch's lair with that purpose in mind, though truthfully, he had definitely intended to ..

"I wasn't lying. You might not like this." replied the older spirit, his fingers now undoing Jack's belt. He pulled the boy's pants over his hips and down as if he'd done it many times before.

Jack felt his body tense up at the statement but he didn't make a move to leave. Curiosity again ruled out any other emotion in his body. Pitch pushed his legs apart, but still didn't touch him and he had to stifle a groan. There was a slight pause then and Jack tried to make out what the older spirit was doing but he couldn't tell. He felt something a little cool between his legs and then Pitch pushed a finger inside him slowly.

Drawing in a sharp breath, Jack tried to adjust his legs to make it more comfortable but he wasn't sure that was possible. It hurt but the only rational thought in his mind was that he hadn't expected Pitch to be gentle with him considering the warning. The older spirit pressed the finger deeper inside of him and he made a small moan of pain.

"Relax," said Pitch, his voice soothing. Jack tried to shift his legs again. He could feel his body very slowly adjusting. He bit his lip to silence himself as another finger began to slide in next to the first. Even though it hurt, it still felt strangely erotic to him, warmth continuing to spread through him. The kind of warmth only Pitch made him feel.

He managed to only pant softly as the third finger entered him, stretching him more. The boy felt almost like he wished the fingers pressed a little deeper inside of him, though he wasn't sure why. Pitch did put his fingers in a little more but not much before finally removing them.

Jack felt an oddly nostalgic empty feeling then but that was quickly gone. Pitch was carefully beginning to push inside of him now. The older spirit's hands were keeping his legs apart. He twisted his fingers into the sheets, tensing up again.

" _Relax_ ," Pitch repeated again through the darkness, though this time he could tell the older spirit was no longer calm and controlled.

"A-ah -" Jack moaned as he tried to take in more of Pitch. The older spirit moved the boy's legs so they locked around him now. His hands gripped Jack's hips. It was surprising to him, but he was less interested in his own pleasure. He really just wanted to see Jack beg him for more, to scream his name instead of just moan it. Pitch didn't bother reflecting at all on what that might mean, he was far too busy.

Pulling back, Pitch repeated the motion into Jack. He could feel the boy's body accepting him in easier this time. Jack made soft moans as he felt the pain lessen and focused on what it felt like to have Pitch's hands on his body; what it felt like to have Pitch inside of him for that matter. But the next movement shattered his thoughts and scattered them. A strangled scream twisted its way out of his throat, his back arching off the bed and against the older spirit's hands. _What_ had Pitch just touched inside of him?

"Uhn, wha- ah!" Jack couldn't get anything coherent out.

"How pretty, Jackie," Pitch teased him, his voice thick. "Make those noises for me again."

The boy made a mental note to get back at the older spirit for that comment later, but currently he could have cared less about it. Pitch was still moving inside of him but slower now. He reached down between them and his warm hand wrapped around Jack. That same painful ache returned, multiplied now by hundreds. The boy literally thought there was no way he could ever feel cold again. Every single part of him was on fire and it seemed like there was no return from it. Pitch surrounded him with dark flames that consumed him.

"Beg me for more, Jack. Go ahead. You do want more, don't you?"

"More, y-yes .. inside me - please!" the boy couldn't believe the words spilling out of his mouth now. They were embarrassing and awful and -

His imagined shame was erased when Pitch moved again, now knowing exactly where that spot was. Jack's nails scratched into the sheets, his body writhing under the older spirit's. He felt like he was falling with nothing to hold on to. He reached up, needing something to ground him and wrapped his arms around Pitch's neck. He felt the older spirit's arms close around him as well, holding him close as they continued. He clutched tightly onto Pitch, now pressing their lips together in messy kisses, and moaning against his mouth, breathing heavily.

Pitch was almost slamming into Jack but the boy was just taking it, still asking him for more. He could see Jack's eyes, half-lidded and looking at him at times despite being unable to see in the dark. They pierced him with some emotion he couldn't place. Or didn't want to.

"M-make me come again, Pitch .. I'm so c-close .." Jack asked him in a whisper.

That was too much. The older spirit pressed his hand between them again and stroked the boy a few times. Jack held onto him tighter, moaning Pitch's name as he came. His body shook almost violently against the older spirit, then relaxed in exhaustion. Pitch bit down on the boy's skin when he came to keep himself from saying anything and Jack cried out softly.

He placed a kiss to Jack's lips for some reason before moving to lie beside him. There was silence and the room seemed to become lighter. The boy turned his head. He could see Pitch next to him now. No longer was he hidden in shadow. The warmth was quickly escaping his body and his head was clearing.

All the things he said .. he did .. with _Pitch_. He felt shame well up inside of him now. This wasn't right, he shouldn't have let it happen, it had been a bad idea from the start. He'd shared far too much with Pitch this night. Even his first kiss, though he was only just realizing it. He sat up, feeling a dull ache everywhere despite the fact he usually healed quickly.

"Jack?" questioned Pitch, his tone seeming .. worried, if that could be.

The boy said nothing, just collected and pulled his clothes back on as quick as he could. He grabbed his staff where it lay on the floor and opened the window again.

Without looking back, he said, "I'll stay away from bedrooms now."

Then Jack was gone.


	2. Night After Night

Everything was silent except for the soft noise of the nightmare sand Pitch was sliding around his outstretched hand. His eyes followed it as it flowed around his long fingers, not really forming anything. Just existing. His mind was absolutely blank and he was glad for it. Pitch was lying in his bed, hidden within the cavern that was his lair. He could sleep to attempt to escape reality, but in an ironic twist, he had no control over his own dreams. And they easily became all kinds of nightmares.

Gradually though, his brief moment of peace passed. His fingers slowly formed a fist around the sand and it dissipated. His thoughts returned to being a tangled, confused swarm of ridiculous ideas and feelings. His fist fell back to the bed with a soft thump.

Pitch felt out of control .. and he hated it. Emotions, thoughts, they shouldn't be a difficult thing to manipulate. He'd had to do so for years on end alone in the shadows. He could control himself as easy as anything then. But that was before Jack Frost decided that he needed help. That Pitch was the only one who could touch him.

And how and why Jack had decided that, Pitch had no idea. As if it wasn't bad enough that he couldn't stop wanting to feel Jack's cool skin against his again, as if he didn't crave to hear the boy begging him for more -- if that wasn't enough, he also had these ridiculous _emotions_ that accompanied it.  
  
Pitch sighed, resting his palm against his forehead and tangling his fingers in his own hair. He shut his eyes and tried to soothe his tired mind. It'd been going around in circles for so long. But no .. he was completely out of control.  
  
He'd at least refused to place an adequate name to this emotion that shot through him like hundreds of daggers. He'd survived so many lonely years with absolutely no one, to the point that the silence and emptiness around him became the way he lived. He remembered _that_ feeling well. Reminders of a life he could have still gave him a sort of ache -- but it was a ghost of a feeling; a memory, an echo and nothing more.  
  
He also knew well what misery, despair, or hatred felt like. All things he was familiar with. They made up the best kind of nightmares. No, this wasn't it, this fresh emotion. It was painful, in a desperate, yearning kind of way. It was sweet, in a numb, bitter way. It was contradictory and confusing. It was --  
  
Pitch went absolutely still as the answer he'd been avoiding broke through whatever mental barrier he'd subconsciously placed over it. Gritting his teeth, he disentangled his fingers from his hair and folded them against each other in his lap. His sudden conclusion couldn't possibly be correct. He realized he'd have to see Jack again. There was no way around it. Maybe he could prove the truth to himself then and be able to go back to how it was before.  
  
If that's really what he wanted anyway, after all.  
  
Groaning to himself, he stood, letting his shadows twist around him as he searched for a boy that he had never expected to complicate his existence so much.  
  
\--  
  
Wrapping his fingers around his staff, Jack laid back in the snow. A blizzard whipped by overhead, a complete white-out really. Not that it bothered him at all. He was perfectly comfortable. It suited his current state of mind.  
  
A white-out. Like a black-out almost. Clouding and veiling all things so sight was practically pointless. Less suffocating .. and not warm .. maybe like --  
He cringed, frowning and tried to re-focus on watching the snowflakes rapidly move by him. The wind whistled in his ears, invisible fingers pulling at his clothing as it passed. None of this was helping. He was here in his own element, and absolutely everything reminded him of Pitch Black regardless.  
  
From the start he had only intended for his relationship with Pitch to remain physical if it came down to it. After Easter and the older spirit's vain attempts at regaining his former strength, Jack hadn't planned on coming into contact with him again. So he was frustrated once in awhile? So he couldn't help himself when he wanted, oh well. He'd lived for 300 years like that, he could go back to it.  
  
But telling himself that never stopped the longing, or the daydreams, or the nightmares, if they could be called that. Pitch was always in them. Always giving him something he couldn't have. These feelings had been few and far between until the first time he'd run into the older spirit again. It wasn't as if the Guardians hadn't expected Pitch to show up again at some point. Fear was never going to be killed or eradicated.  
  
He'd been appointed to keep an eye on Pitch, and that was probably the worst idea so far. He accepted but the older spirit was only ever here and there, hard to catch. Impossible to catch. Like real shadows. When Pitch did run into Jack, they merely had a tense discussion in which the older spirit teased him; most of it about their past. Each encounter made those daydreams, those fantasies worse and worse until that night in the empty bedroom. And when Pitch acted, he had no resistance. He didn't want to refuse. He didn't have it in him.  
  
Sitting up, he shook off the snow that had accumulated on himself while his thoughts drifted. If his feelings for the older spirit were only physical ones, then why would he be agonizing over it this much? He wasn't sure he wanted to feel anything for Pitch .. but at the same time he wasn't completely sure he _didn't_ want to.  
  
Gripping his staff tightly, Jack frowned. He needed to talk to somebody. But it definitely wasn't going to be Pitch. The older spirit confused him enough as it was. No, it'd have to be someone else. He took to the sky to find someone who might understand.


	3. Not Like the Other Girls

Crossing her arms and giving Jack a benevolent but frustrated look, Tooth floated around him slowly. He kept uselessly looking up at her, opening his mouth to speak -- and then would end it by shaking his head and walking in circles. It was obvious Jack needed to tell her something but what that was, she couldn't guess.  
  
Suddenly he sat on the ground with a thud, laying his staff next to him. Not meeting her eyes, he traced his fingers in the dirt, leaving just a little frost on the ground.  
"Tooth," he began, completely lost on what to say. "Have you -- ever .. done something you wanted .. and then felt .. I guess, ashamed afterwards?"  
  
"I .. don't know. Maybe? You're not telling me much .."  
  
Jack curled his hand into a fist. "This was a bad idea .."  
  
Tooth fluttered in front of him. "No, Jack, I want to help."  
  
He still couldn't meet her eyes. "I saw .." His voice dropped off, unable to actually say who. "I think I did something I shouldn't have .."  
  
"Oh, Jack, what could have been so bad? You're probably being too hard on yourself." Tooth assured him, eager to help him cheer up.  
  
"Please don't tell any of the other Guardians. I don't want them to feel like I betrayed them." Jack spoke rapidly, trying to get the words out before he thought better of it.  
  
"Why would they think that? You can't have… done anything too--"  
  
The boy finally caught her gaze and she instantly fell silent.   
  
"I did." he murmured.  
  
"Are we in danger? Are-are the children in danger?!" Tooth stuttered, her hand against her chest as if that might stop the sudden twisting worry in it.  
  
"No! No, I wouldn't put the children in danger. This is about me ..."  
  
The fairy sighed gently and gave him a small smile. "I promise not to tell them. You can trust me."  
  
"Tooth… Tooth, I was _with_ someone." The boy spoke in a whisper, his face even more pale if that was possible. "And I wanted it. But now, I just feel .. wrong."  
  
Tooth was at a complete loss for words. She stared at him with a blank expression and her mouth hung open slightly. It wasn't as if she didn't understand what he meant. But who was he even talking about? Fluttering around a bit more rapidly, she regained her composure and sighed softly. "Jack, you didn't betray anyone. You said it yourself, you wanted it. But what changed your mind afterwards? Because this seems like it's about more than just _our_ feelings toward you."  
  
"I feel safe with .. with him. I just .. I mean, how can that ever be right? He is .. it wasn't supposed to happen like this. And it all just doesn't make any sense!" Jack was trying to reason with himself and not Tooth. This wasn't helping. He jumped up to his feet and started pacing again.  
  
"Love will never make sense." Tooth answered in a quiet tone. It sounded as if Jack was confused about liking someone else who was male but maybe --  
  
"No, you've got it all wrong… No, I can't -- I'm just not, okay?!" Jack said, clenching his hands into fists again. Hearing it from someone else was too much. In what world or time would it be alright to fall in love with someone like Pitch? To feel safe with him, to want to be with him? "It was a mistake. I just won't do it again."  
  
Grabbing his staff from where it lay, he took off again before the fairy could even speak. She grumbled to herself and followed him, able to keep up.  
  
"Stop, Jack! I know you came to me for a reason --" she shouted after him. He didn't slow and she moved a little faster to catch up with him. Grabbing tightly onto his wrist, she made him stop short suddenly. "Talk to me, please."  
  
They both floated back down again, Jack seeming as if the denial and anger had been drained out of him. He collapsed on the ground again when they reached a small clearing.  
  
Tooth rested her hands on his shoulders. "Look at me." she told him, her voice stern.  
  
He obeyed but said nothing.  
  
"I'm not you, I know. And I've never really been in the place you're in, so I can't understand completely. But I know you pretty well now, Jack. And it looks to me like if you don't love whoever this person is, you have very, very strong feelings for him." Tooth frowned as the boy tried to drop his eyes at this. She shook his shoulders gently so she could see the look in them again.  
  
He was ashamed, ashamed because she was right. And it was getting harder and harder for him to keep denying this reality.  
  
"I don't know if you're hesitating because he's male or not one of us or something; but you know we all care for you and we wouldn't judge you like that."   
  
"It's more complicated than him being male .." Jack admitted. "I think you're right though. I've been lying to myself about what I feel and making up excuses so I didn't have to face the fact that -- well, that I might just .. love -- this person."  
  
"Why don't you take time to sort yourself out and then talk to him? After that you can make a decision on where your feelings really lie. And stop worrying so much about what others will think. This is about you, not us." the fairy put a hand on his face gently.  
  
Jack smiled up at her finally. "Thank you, Tooth." He wrapped his arms around her and she reciprocated. "I was making a real mess of things on my own."  
  
She giggled at him. "Yes, you were. Good thing I was here, huh?"   
  
"Definitely." the boy answered, not breaking the hug. The shattering pain in his chest was beginning to lessen now that he'd talked to Tooth. Everything, of course, wasn't magically all better, but it was a start.  
  
Tooth just smiled and patted the top of his head softly. She had her own feelings for Jack but the pain in his eyes, the torment over the denial of his feelings and the relief when he had somewhat sorted out the truth; her crush was nothing compared to the intensity of what Jack felt for the man he'd spoken of. She could come to terms with the fact they'd only be friends.  
  
"Wanna get out of here now?" she asked, refusing to think too long on that.  
  
"Sounds good. Maybe we can go annoy Bunny for fun." Jack suggested.  
  
"Oh, you never change!" Tooth huffed as they both drifted towards the blue sky overhead.  
  
Neither of them noticed the slight shadow who had been watching.


	4. Sky

It'd been a little over a month. Jack was seated outside the window of a dark, empty bedroom, exactly what he said he wasn't going to do anymore. It didn't really matter since Pitch never came anyway.   
  
The last month had been torturously boring. To amuse himself, Jack had caused a snowstorm on the east coast of America -- despite the fact it was dangerously close to June at this point. But even that didn't quite cheer him up.  
  
He'd have to give up and go find Pitch himself. Things couldn't keep on this way and well -- it wasn't as if he were human and he could just "move on" and "find someone new". It didn't exactly work that way for someone who was immortal.  
  
Jumping from the sill, Jack lazily let the wind take him where he wanted to go. Not too much later, he landed in a familiar part of the woods. The hole that had once been closed tight was open again, of course. He dropped into it and followed the tunnel into the wide space that was Pitch's home. He'd been avoiding coming here for the fact it contained more memories than he'd like to recall.   
  
Moonlight instead of daylight filtered in from above. As Jack wasn't even sure if Pitch was around, he didn't bother calling out for him. If the other spirit was home, he was sure to make his appearance sooner or later. All was quiet though as he paced through the room, the only sound being his footsteps on the rock. It was a bit eerie in the lair, what with those creepy old cages hanging from the ceiling. If wind blew through the cave, it made them rattle and creak, which was a disconcerting sound.  
  
He glanced around at the shadows, but none of them moved or changed. He was alone. Taking a seat on the edge of one of the many staircases, Jack stared down at the dropoff below his feet. All the teeth that were once there were, of course, back with Tooth. Now the light only illuminated bare patches of floor. He rested his head in his hands and let his thoughts drift while he waited.  
  
"Now, now," a familiar voice eventually sounded somewhere behind him. He turned quickly out of habit but there was no one. Just shadows that shifted and moved before his eyes. "Why are you bothering with me again, Jack? Thought you'd run back to your new friends."  
  
Pitch's silhouette appeared along the wall for a second before again disappearing into one of the many dark areas of the cave. Jack didn't bother jumping to his feet. This wasn't like last year. And he'd already figured out by this point that Pitch was obviously avoiding him as well after their last encounter.  
  
"Look, I'm here to talk about something important." the boy glanced around but Pitch still wasn't showing himself.  
  
"Important," scoffed the older spirit, his voice from beneath Jack. Pitch appeared in the moonlight on the floor for a split second. "I'm sure. And I thought I was the cruel one."  
  
Jack turned as now the voice was behind him. Pitch was finally there. His strange silver-gold eyes held nothing but anger and the boy was taken back by this. He hadn't expected this reaction. "Cruel?" Jack repeated the word.  
  
" _I'm_ supposedly this evil menace, ruining the dreams of all the good little children in the world. But you, Jack Frost? You're everything ice really is. There's nothing beautiful or wonderful about it." the older spirit immediately disappeared again but his voice remained, echoing in the room. "It only breaks under your feet when you try to stand on it."  
  
"Stop it, Pitch!" the boy stood now, clutching his staff so hard his knuckles were beginning to hurt from the strain. "What do you mean? I came here to --"  
  
"You really don't know?" Pitch questioned, shadows beginning to swallow up even the moonlight in the room. This seemed to make the situation worse.  
  
"Can you just let me talk?" Jack gritted his teeth together.  
  
"You can't fix things this time." Pitch said, his voice close. He was in front of the boy now. His fingers wrapped around Jack's throat, slowly tightening. The boy's staff fell to the floor.  
  
Jack drew in a short breath, forcing back the instinct to claw at the older spirit's hands. There was obviously some kind of miscommunication, but he still did not fear Pitch. Jack wrapped his shaking arms around the older spirit in an embrace. If he couldn't get through with words, then he could with this. The grip on his neck relaxed almost immediately. He pushed himself closer to Pitch, coughing as his lungs properly filled with air again.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" the older spirit's voice was weak, quiet. Dim light returned to the room as the shadows receded.  
  
"I left you, that night, because I was confused. I'm not anymore." the boy replied, his face still against Pitch's chest.  
  
"That doesn't explain why you returned here."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jack finally burst out, his fingertips digging into the older spirit's back in frustration.  
  
"I saw you. In the clearing with that fairy." Pitch frowned, attempting to push the boy away. "I'm sure you have it all sorted out now with her, hm?"  
  
Jack held on tighter and looked up, his voice rising. "Why are you such an idiot all the time, Pitch? Sure, you saw us, but did you bother to listen in on the conversation?"  
  
"Why would I have needed to?" he returned, his hands gripping Jack's arms now.  
  
Sighing in exasperation, the boy pulled his arms free and draped them around Pitch's neck. He quickly connected their lips in a kiss. He finally felt the older spirit's arms close around him hesitatingly.  
  
"Pitch," he sighed when the kiss broke. "I don't love her. I'm not with her."  
  
There was a short silence while he gathered the proper courage to say what'd he'd been able to admit to himself over the past month.  
  
"I love you."  
  
Jack watched as Pitch's expression changed. He'd never seen such warmth in those eyes until this moment. The older spirit still said nothing before their lips met again. Jack felt a familiar falling sensation as darkness swirled around him; Pitch was taking him somewhere else.  
  
And he was far from afraid.


	5. Falling

Falling should have been more frightening, Jack supposed. He did feel like his heart was in his throat, his body tense even, but for other reasons than fear. He could still feel Pitch's arms wrapped around him so he felt safe. He felt .. _home_. It didn't make sense, it probably never would. But he didn't really care about logic concerning the older spirit. Nothing would ever be logical with him.  
  
The shadows pulled them both into a warm, dark room. The lighting immediately changed to become dimmer, so when Jack looked up, he could actually see Pitch's face. He realized that the older spirit was allowing him to see everything this time. Pitch wasn't hiding anymore.  
  
There were still no more words exchanged between them. The older spirit just took his hand and led him towards a bed. Jack glanced around the room, knowing it had to be Pitch's room and also knowing probably no one else had been able to see it before him.  
  
The older spirit dropped down to the bed and pulled the boy into his lap. His hands slipped up to Jack's face, bringing them level enough for their lips to meet. The kisses began to vary between gentle, soft ones, almost loving to fierce, strong ones like the older spirit was trying to find a balance within himself, but there wasn't one. Pitch knew there was no rational way to balance out or hold all the formerly dormant emotions in his body right now. They were bleeding through into all his actions, evident in his eyes, on his face. He couldn't hide anything from Jack right now and for once, he didn't want to.  
  
The boy's own hand moved to Pitch's face, his thumb gently stroking along the older spirit's jaw, slowly down his neck and slipping along the curve of it. The kisses slowed slightly as Jack's fingers touched Pitch's skin. He watched with his eyes half-open at the way his thin, white fingers looked on the older spirit's darker flesh as he traced them along Pitch's collarbone.  
  
Shrugging off his robe, the older spirit laid back, pulling Jack with him. The boy froze for a moment, surprised at the position he was in. His fingers splayed out against Pitch's chest for balance as he straddled the older spirit. He recovered and resumed his exploration, letting his fingers find sensitive spots as he listened to the older spirit's breath hitch occasionally. Leaning down, he pressed a few uncertain kisses to the skin under his hands; his own breath picking up nervously as his mouth continued to roam over Pitch's body.  
  
Suddenly, Jack felt Pitch grip his arms tightly and almost before he realized, the older spirit had flipped them both over. He was under Pitch now, looking up at him.  
  
"Jack .." Pitch spoke his name in a strange tone. He wasn't sure he had ever heard that emotion in his voice. It was .. tender, soft. Caring. _His name_.  
  
"Pitch." the boy breathed out as an answer. He reached up to touch the older spirit's face. Pitch's lips were on his again, a quick kiss. Their eyes met once before he moved down Jack's body, pushing up the boy's hoodie, but not taking it off. His hands caressed and teased, following his lips down Jack's chest.  
  
Slowly sliding the boy's pants off his hips, Pitch dropped more kisses onto his lower abdomen. The older spirit took a second to admire the almost white skin hidden under Jack's clothing as his fingertips moved up the boy's thighs. His hands gripped Jack's waist tightly as he lowered his head to take the boy into his mouth.  
  
Jack cried out at the sudden feeling of warmth on him. He kind of couldn't believe that Pitch was even doing this for him. And he wasn't sure what was turning him on more -- the feel of Pitch's tongue and lips on him or the sight of the older spirit's head between his legs. He let his eyes shut with a moan.  
  
This was another thing he'd always wondered about. What it would feel like to have someone's tongue lapping at him, wrapped around him, fingers gently massaging him as he grew harder .. thinking about it made things worse since it was literally happening. He groaned as Pitch shifted them both, his legs now over the older spirit's shoulders. His hips tried to buck into the heat surrounding him, wanting more, but Pitch's grip kept them firmly in place.  
  
It suddenly occurred to Jack what exactly would be happening when he did come and he felt embarrassed about it. He was almost there though ..  
  
"N-no, wait .. nn .. p-please, I'm going to .. ah!" Jack tried to tell the older spirit as he squirmed and struggled against the warm hands that held him to the bed. But Pitch didn't listen and he didn't stop.  
  
The boy clutched at the sheets above his head, his back arching off the bed and his toes curling. It was too much, there was just no way he could hold back anymore. The older spirit's hand moved, enclosing around his length tightly, and he was stuck, writhing in that wonderful, horrible place, unable to go any further.  
  
His entire body went tense, frozen like that as he drew in short breaths. He let out small, frustrated moans. He was so, so close. Indiscernible pleas for release fell from his lips and finally he felt Pitch's grip on the base of his cock loosen. It hit him all at once like a wave slamming into him and he couldn't hear anything at all as he came. The older spirit's lips and fingers remained wrapped around him as he finished.  
  
Feeling almost spent, Jack tried to draw more air into his lungs. He put a hand over his eyes while his breathing regulated and the heat slowly began to drain from his body.  
  
"You didn't have to do that, you know." the boy murmured when he regained use of his voice, removing his hand to look at the older spirit.  
  
"I know. I wanted to." he answered, licking his lips. "Besides that, you're 'young'," Pitch teased as he got up off the bed. "You'll be ready again soon."  
  
Like before, Jack felt he would be blushing if it were possible. "Mm." he answered, already feeling want and need inside of him again. The warmth still in his body doubled and he tried to stifle a soft groan as quick imaginings of what was to come flashed through his mind.  
  
He sat up after a bit when Pitch didn't return right away. He eventually heard a drawer or something slide open and then the older spirit returned with something clutched in his hand.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Pitch sat back down, putting the object aside and leaning over to kiss the boy.  
  
"You'll see soon enough." he answered, giving Jack's hoodie string a playful tug. "Ready yet?"  
  
The boy only nodded, knowing that denying it was pointless considering his body's obvious state.  
  
The older spirit moved Jack down to his hands and knees on the bed, smirking as he enjoyed the sight before him. He slid his hand only once between the boy's legs, forcing a shaking moan from Jack as his body reacted quickly to the touch.  
  
"This position will probably be easier for you," Pitch told him, retrieving the bottle he'd brought to the bed. He carefully covered a few fingers in the liquid from it.  
  
"You just wanted to see me like this, didn't you?" Jack's wavering voice accused him.  
  
"I can't say you're not lovely to look at, Jackie." the older spirit murmured back, his opposite hand pushing the boy's legs apart more to give him better access.  
  
The embarrassed grumble that came from Jack twisted quickly into a choked gasp as Pitch's first finger began to slide inside. The boy was tight again. Jack tried to slow his breathing, to relax around the older spirit's finger, but his body wasn't obeying very well. He didn't feel patient, he didn't want to wait.  
  
"Oh--" he groaned as he felt Pitch's next finger push inside of him. "No, go faster." Jack pleaded with the older spirit as he felt the burn, the warmth of being stretched more inside.  
  
Pitch let out a short laugh. "You want me inside of you that badly? It would hurt, Jack. You're much too tight right now."  
  
The boy only made a disappointed noise in reply but it caught in his throat as the third finger entered him directly after. " _Yes_ .."  
  
"Yes to what?" Pitch asked, his fingers slowly, torturously sliding in and out of Jack.  
  
"Nn -- yes, I-I want you inside of me! So, hurry," Jack demanded to the older spirit.  
  
"As you wish," Pitch replied with another soft laugh. He stretched the boy farther and earned another shuddering moan from Jack before he removed his fingers.  
The older spirit finally tugged on the boy's hoodie, pulling it over his head. Jack threw it to the side in frustration, impatiently awaiting Pitch. He took his time slipping out of his own clothes before moving behind Jack.  
  
Pitch could feel the boy trembling under his hands as he positioned himself, holding Jack's hips steady again. A pleased whimper emerged from the boy's throat as he finally felt Pitch slide inside of him.  
  
"You did miss me," the older spirit murmured in a smug tone.  
  
"S-shut up!" Jack's reprimand was ruined by his shaking voice as Pitch moved fully within him. His body protested, still very tight and a little painful but Jack didn't care. Pitch's uneven breath was broken up by small moans, and Jack could hear them. They were quickly lost in his own as the older spirit began to move again. The pace picked up as his body adjusted and they both could move together.  
  
Jack's fingertips dug into the sheets as sounds escaped his mouth that he didn't even know he could make. Each movement inside of him ruined any train of thought he had started. He panted and gasped as they continued. Part of him just wanted to give in and let it go on, but he realized this wasn't the position he wanted to be in.  
  
"P-Pitch--" he moaned the older spirit's name out but it didn't sound like a question as he had intended. "Uhn, wait -- w-wait .. oh .."  
  
Slowing a little, Pitch stroked his fingers down Jack's spine. "What is it?"  
  
"Ah -- I don't .. I want -- I want to see you." the boy let his fingers unclench from the sheets as the motions grew less although his body was on fire, pleading with him to forget about it and just ask for more.  
  
Jack could have sworn Pitch made a small noise before he pulled out of the boy. Jack groaned at the sensation, feeling cold and empty. The older spirit grasped his sides gently and twisted him around to lay on his back. He watched as Pitch moved inside of him again and shivered at the sight of it.  
  
"You like seeing me inside of you." the older spirit stated, smirking down at the boy.  
  
"You like being inside of me," Jack retorted, knowing both statements were true.  
  
He didn't reply, but held the boy's gaze as he slid in deeper.  
  
"Faster," the younger spirit demanded right away.  
  
"So needy," Pitch teased but obeyed, his movements becoming more rough and harsh.  
  
Jack let his legs lock around the older spirit, and Pitch finally hit that spot inside of him that he'd only been nudging before. He shuddered all over from the sensation of it, the feeling of flames gradually building up in his skin again.  
  
The pace remained uneven though and without being told, or asking, Jack knew what it was that Pitch was waiting for. Reaching up, he tangled his fingers in the older spirit's hair, pressing their lips together before speaking.  
  
"Do it h-harder, please?" the boy pleaded, his nails digging into the back of Pitch's neck in desperation.  
  
A slight hiss escaped the older spirit at the feeling of those nails in his skin, but Jack looked so sweet, half-dazed, asking him, begging him for more.  
  
"What do you want me to do, Jack?" he pressed. He slammed into the boy once, making sure to hit the correct place.  
  
"A-ah!" Jack gasped, his back arching slightly off the bed. "Nn -- I want you .. you to come inside of me .. uhn, please .."  
  
The boy was past the point of caring, but also Pitch was the only one who could hear the things he wanted and the embarrassing way he pleaded for it.  
  
Pitch couldn't choke back the moan he made at Jack's words before granting the boy's wishes and moving against him harder than before. Jack held onto Pitch's shoulders, his hands clutching at the older spirit's back. It felt so, so good.  
  
The boy's legs shook and he had trouble keeping them around Pitch. His hearing seemed to fade out as the orgasm finally swept through him and he trembled, his voice letting out a shuddering moan.  
  
"Jack --"  
  
He could hear the older spirit almost as if from far away, crying out his name, just before he felt Pitch come inside of him. He slumped to the sheets, still underneath the older spirit, his chest rising and falling rapidly.  
  
There was a moment filled with only their harsh breathing before Jack felt a soft kiss against his forehead .. and then one pressed to his lips. Pitch shifted his weight to lie beside him but pulled him close. Jack buried his face against the older spirit's chest as his breathing slowed, still in disbelief about everything that had just occurred.  
  
But when he looked up, Pitch was still there. And so was he. And this was reality .. and he wasn't running away this time. A smile slowly spread across his face as he looked up at the older spirit.  
  
"You're the first person to see this room, you know." Pitch finally said to Jack, his arm still holding the boy.  
  
"I kind of figured." Jack grinned at him. "Not that I think I'm the first person you've slept with, I'm not an idiot."  
  
"Most of the time." the older spirit answered. "But you're correct."  
  
There was a short silence as he reached up to tangle his fingers in the boy's now messy hair and push it away from his eyes. He looked Jack over again. This is really what he wanted after all.  
  
Jack's eyes closed. He liked feeling Pitch's hands touch him like this as well. "Was it a lot of people?" he questioned, starting to feel like he might drift off to sleep shortly.  
  
"I'd rather not count," Pitch let out a small laugh. "But I never wanted anyone for more than a night or two. So I never brought them into my room. That's too close for me. Too .. personal."  
  
"Aren't I lucky?" the boy said, his lips moving slowly. The older spirit didn't answer right away and soon he heard Jack's breath even out and become more shallow. He'd fallen asleep.  
  
"Aren't I?" Pitch responded, kissing the boy's forehead.


	6. Still Standing

Sometime the next morning, Jack woke up, stretching out and yawning before remembering where he was. The bed was empty currently and he wondered where Pitch had gone off to. Burying his face in the pillows for a bit, he let himself wake up a little more. He didn't have to sleep exactly but it was pleasant to do it once in awhile. Eventually he sat up and stretched, noticing his staff was leaning in a corner not too far away. He also spotted his discarded clothing and got up to pull them back on.  


Unsure what to do and not wanting to leave, he took a seat back on the bed. He glanced around at Pitch's room for a bit, taking note of what he kept in it (not very much) before his thoughts dissolved into more pressing matters that he'd been avoiding thinking about.  
  
He didn't even notice when Pitch had returned until the older spirit spoke.  
  
"I thought you'd be the type to sleep in longer," Pitch commented.  
  
Jack just stuck his tongue out. "Where were you at?"  
  
"Tormenting people." the older spirit replied with a grin. The boy rolled his eyes. "I went to get some air, honestly."  
  
"Sure, sure." the boy shrugged.  
  
"Now then, what were you looking so serious about, Jackie?" Pitch asked, returning to sit on the bed. Jack didn't answer right away and the older spirit leaned forward to push the boy's hood off his head.  
  
Jack batted his hand away and smiled for a short moment before answering. " .. Pitch, I'm still a Guardian."  
  
He frowned and shrugged. "Yes, you are. Where are you going with this?"  
  
The thoughts swirled around in the boy's head, almost too loud for him to think properly. It was better for him to just come to the point he was heading for and not waste a bunch of useless words leading up to it.   
  
"I don't want to lie to them." he began, pushing himself off the bed and standing. "So I'm going to tell them. Even though I'm sure the response will be awful .."  
Pitch just stared at Jack; that had actually been the last thing he'd expected the younger spirit to say.  
  
"It's kind of farfetched but .." Jack moved to stand in front of Pitch. "I want you to come with me .. I think maybe, just maybe .. you could work with us."  
  
There was another long period of silence and the older spirit didn't meet his eyes. Jack knew it was a ridiculous thing to suggest, but he really did want peace between everyone. He loved Pitch, all of him. Even the nightmarish parts. Finally, the older spirit looked up.  
  
"You know I'm not going to change, Jack." Pitch grasped the sleeve of the boy's hoodie, sighing deeply. "I can't. And .. I don't want to."  
  
Jack didn't say anything at first. Then he reached forward and put his arms around Pitch's shoulders, pulling him closer so the older spirit's head was against his chest.  
  
"I know .. I don't want you to change." Jack answered him. He felt Pitch's hands on his back, keeping him close. "You know, a long time ago .. I wondered how could fear possibly benefit anyone. And then I really thought about it. I realized that in my own past, if I'd been a little more afraid of things .. well, maybe I wouldn't have taken my sister skating on ice that was too thin that day."   
  
"That day?" Pitch pulled away and looked up at the younger spirit.  
  
"The day I became Jack Frost .. I saved my sister but well .." he shrugged. "I became this. And I forgot everyone. And in a way, everyone forgot me."  
  
"I see .."  
  
"Not all children are good .. and some need some sense of fear or they keep doing stupid things .. and not everyone's lucky enough to end up like me. It doesn't work like that, I know." Jack frowned. He kind of wondered if no one had ever seen any good in Pitch and therefore never thought of this idea either. He didn't know how the older spirit had turned into what he had become, but he had the idea that Pitch wasn't always a "boogeyman".  
  
Pitch suddenly tugged down on the front of Jack's hoodie and pulled him into a short kiss, breaking his train of thought momentarily.   
  
"I'm glad you're like this." the older spirit said quietly once the kiss had ended.  
  
"Me too," Jack murmured in reply. "Now anyway .. but you didn't give me an answer."  
  
Pitch sighed in an exasperated way. "If you insist, though I wouldn't be surprised if they just scream at us for awhile and piss me off."  
  
"Be good." the younger spirit said in a mock stern tone, tugging on Pitch's hair lightly.  
  
"Now, don't do that or we'll never leave." he replied, pressing another kiss to Jack's lips before standing.  
  
Laughing to himself, Jack retrieved his staff from the corner and directed Pitch where to take them.   
  
\--  
  
Bouncing from one foot to the other, Jack sighed. He was resolved to do this, but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous about it. They were near North's place, but he was taking his time before going in.  
  
"Regardless what others may think, I do actually get cold, Jack." Pitch grumbled.  
  
"Oh poor boogeyman." the boy snorted, finally breaking from his pointless train of thought. "Alright, fine. Let's go."  
  
He led Pitch to the way inside, knowing the older spirit couldn't simply move them with his shadows.  
  
"You sure they're all here?"  
  
"Yeah, they were meeting here today. For some reason or another .."  
  
"Wonderful Guardian, you are." the older spirit teased.  
  
"Shh." Jack half-heartedly shushed him, finally sliding open a door. He knew a back way in now that he was a Guardian so they had yet to run into anyone. As they approached the main room, they could hear voices. Taking a deep breath, Jack entered the room with Pitch directly behind him.  
  
Everyone went dead silent. The group stared at the pair and they stared back. Jack couldn't find words and the silence went on.  
  
"Oh, Jack." Tooth finally said in a whisper. Her expression seemed torn. She had immediately put two and two together. All this time, he'd been talking about Pitch.  
  
"What is meaning of this?" North demanded finally.  
  
Bunny looked about ready to explode and worst of all, Sandy looked .. kind of betrayed.  
  
"Just, hear me out, okay?" the boy frowned. He felt Pitch's hand in the small of his back suddenly and it comforted him a little.  
  
"Hear you out? Jack, you brought Pitch here." Bunny began, possibly about to launch into a tirade.  
  
"No, no, wait. Let him talk. There's probably good explanation for this." North interrupted him. "Go on, Jack."  
  
Nodding, the younger spirit opened his mouth. Then he closed it again. Where were the words? All the things he'd said to Pitch .. nothing came out.  
  
The older spirit glanced down at Jack and sighed. He brought his hand up around the boy's shoulders. "He's my .. boyfriend." Pitch finally stated, unable to find a more appropriate word for their relationship. But technically, that's what they were ..  
  
"W-what??" Bunny's eyes now practically bulged out of his head. North turned very pale, Sandy looked confused and Tooth still seemed upset.  
  
"You'll have to ask him about why he dragged me here because it's all his idea, but thought I'd at least get that out of the way." Pitch shrugged, looking annoyed.  
  
Jack was sure that possibly could have gone better but now he felt less tongue tied. "It's true .. and I think Pitch can work with us .. and we can stop this ridiculous fight with him. He's willing to try out my idea .. and if he is, I think you guys should be able to be willing too .."  
  
North simply looked stern now. "Tell us idea."  
  
"I've told you all about my past .. how I died .." Jack felt Pitch's grip on his shoulder tighten slightly. His words faltered for a second but he continued. "And I think fear could be used in a positive way .. to prevent things like that from happening."  
  
"You know," Tooth said quickly, before anyone else could speak. "Just the other night .. I went to pick up some teeth, actually getting back in the field a bit, you know .. but this child had many teeth under their pillow .. but it was because another child who disliked them had .. knocked them out. It's true that not all children are good. And we still protect them yes .. but maybe we could protect them from each other as well."  
  
"That is sort of my point." Jack shrugged. "Or just kids who make stupid, dangerous decisions, like me. Not checking the ice before I went skating. My sister could have died instead of me. I didn't only endanger myself but her as well .."  
  
"And that's where Pitch comes in?" Bunny's voice sounded sarcastic but Jack just nodded.  
  
"I could keep the little br--" Jack gave Pitch a look and he changed his wording. "-- children in line. It's easily possible."  
  
"You'd do this .. for Jack?" Tooth asked, somewhat incredulously.  
  
"I'd do it for him." the older spirit answered without hesitating.  
  
The other Guardians were silent again, glancing at each other in surprise.  
  
“North, this is ridiculous, please don't tell me you're going to allow this,” Bunny finally burst out in anger, gesturing towards Pitch.  
  
Shaking his head, North looked from the other Guardians to Jack and Pitch. “It would be bad idea to keep fighting. But, we cannot trust Pitch so easily. So,” he seemed to sigh with resignation but a small smile crossed his lips. “I think it would be fair enough to give him a try. He knows what will happen otherwise, eh?”  
  
Pitch grimaced towards North. "I have an idea, yes."  
  
Bunny stuttered and then simply frowned, pointing threateningly in Pitch's direction. "I'll be watching." Grumbling, he sulked out of the room.  
  
Flitting about the room nervously, Tooth settled on speed-talking to Pitch and Jack, obviously still unsure how to feel. "Um, well, that's, settled, so, good luck? I mean .. I really wish you all the best, so." She took a breath to calm herself and nodded. "Yes. Good luck."  
  
Sandy was quiet, as usual but finally made his way to Jack. Taking the younger spirit's hand, he squeezed it tightly but then sent a dark glare up at Pitch.  
  
"Ugh, okay. I got it." Pitch rubbed his forehead and rolled his eyes as Sandy also left, still watching him.  
  
Shrugging, North slapped a large hand on each of the couple's shoulders and laughed. "I guess we will see what happens."  
  
Pitch looked uncomfortable but let his eyes drift down. Jack met his gaze and held it, and the hope he held in it was really all that was needed. Things would change. And it would be hard.  
  
But not impossible. After all, they had all the time to burn in the world.

_**\- The End -** _   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It hasn't been updated in years! And it's the end! And hopefully the beginning of me posting more stuff on A03 bc I need to write again. Yeeeeeeeeyyyy!


End file.
